Dorking Running Day

Sunday 1st September 2002

Prepared by Ian Smith, 30th September 2002

Part 4: Epsom Recall (RT113, RF679).

At Dorking I was in nice time to change onto RT113, about to set off on a return trip to Epsom. The war-time RT used to run on the 93 between Putney Bridge and Dorking on Sundays when new, and the crew had prepared commemorative certificates for distribution to passengers on the day. The bus loaded well, and I claimed a seat downstairs, near the platform.

We headed north from Dorking, pursued by touring RF 4, which was heading for Denbies Vineyard. The RF spent most of the day on its designed tour duties, but did have some bus work in the form of the first and last clockwise trips round the 439 loop.

RT113 rumbled up to Burford Bridge, and climbed over the flank of Box Hill to Mickleham, where we were held up by badly parked cars. Back on the main road we continued to Leatherhead, and headed north-east to Epsom. There we had a few minutes photography time, recollecting the old days of the 93 route at Epsom clock tower.

While I was there my phone rang. Where was I? RF679 was going to head home as soon as possible, the unloader valve behaving well enough for travel but not for service. I promised to get back to Dorking as quickly as possible. That was on RT113 of course. The crew had already decided to give the horrors of Mickleham a miss, so it was a speedy (but enjoyable) return trip to Dorking.

Back at Dorking I located RF679, with Colin Rivers and Mike Dawes. They had spent the day trying to sort the air valves on the bus, and with pressure holding high enough to give us brakes and gears for the journey home were keen to set off. The designated return duties to Redhill, Westerham and Sevenoaks were to be covered by another RF, so off we went, trundling eastwards along the A25 into Kent.

We made it safely, and RF679 was tucked away safely with sister RF603, awaiting a season of maintenance ready for next year.

My thanks go to the Country Bus Rallies team for organising the event, involving arranging with owners of buses, scheduling, arranging the venue, making agreements with operators, organising catering, stalls and toilets, all with enough flexibility to cope with the problems that crop up on the day.
My thanks also to the bus owners and crews, for the opportunity to ride and photograph their vehicles. It was a good day.

Buses:

GS1, 2*, 13, 62, 76
RF4, 113, 213,
RF366*, 486*,
RF626, 679
RT113*
RT604, 1790*, 2043*, 2083, 3491
XF3
SNB312

visitors: STL2377, Q83, RF19, RMC1476, AV251
on Route 70D: RM9
on route 32: RF315, BL93

Routes

93: Putney Bridge - Morden - Epsom - Leatherhead - Dorking
412: Dorking - Holmbury St.Mary - Sutton
414: West Croydon - Redhill - Reigate - Dorking - Capel
425: Dorking - Gomshall
433: Dorking - Ranmore Common
439: Redhill Stn - Leigh - Brockham - Dorking - Beare Green - Newdigate - Brockham - Dorking
448: Gomshall - Peaslake - Ewhurst
449: Dorking - Chart Downs - Four Wents Pond - Capel - Ewhurst
470: Dorking - Leatherhead - Epsom
852: Ewhurst
712: Luton - London Victoria - Morden - Leatherhead - Dorking
714: Richmond - Kingston - Surbiton - Hook - Leatherhead - Dorking
Tour: Dorking - Denbies Vineyard
32: (Memory Lane): Guildford - Gomshall - Dorking Stn
70D: (London Central): Brixton - Morden - Dorking

Part 1. Part 2. Part 3. Part 4.

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